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Digital lessons
How remote learning has opened up opportunities for students .
By Wade Zaglas
The Media Centre for Education
Research Australia ( MCERA ) has created a weekly series that asks experts to address some of the most pertinent issues affecting education in the time of COVID-19 .
MCERA believes it ’ s critical that educators learn something from the crisis , “ instead of merely reacting to this disruption and attempting to create an illusion of normality ”. With this in mind , policymakers and educators can learn from the pandemic and make long-lasting improvements to Australia ’ s education system .
On the topic of digital technologies affecting students ’ education , MCERA consulted Professor Garry Falloon of Macquarie University , Dr Rachel Buchanan of the University of Newcastle and Dr Joanne Orlando of Western Sydney University .
Professor Gary Falloon – Digital learning should “ usher in greater understanding of the vital contribution both teachers and parents make to children ’ s education ” As a professor of STEM Education and Digital Learning in the School of Education at Macquarie University , Falloon says the rapid educational change brought about by COVID-19 , including the swift migration to online learning , offers worthwhile lessons for education into the future .
“ This time has been difficult for many , exposing the stark divide in digital access that exists between schools in different regions ,” Falloon said .
“ But there are lessons to learn from the experience to improve education going forward – particularly the role digital technologies can play in forging greater understanding and partnership between parents and teachers .
“ The widespread use of platforms such as Google Classroom , Seesaw , Edmodo and ClassDojo , supported by ‘ real time ’ video conferencing such as Zoom and Meet , have enabled parents , often for the first time , to get a glimpse of the incredibly complex and difficult role of the teacher in designing and delivering learning programs to meet the needs of all students .
“ In the past , teaching has typically been an isolated transaction between teachers and students , confined to the four walls of classrooms .
“ With the move to online learning this is no longer the case .”
Dr Joanne Orlando – Reinstating mobile phone bans “ feels like stepping back in time ” Orlando says the shifting nature of education during COVID-19 should bring a reassessment of mobile phone bans .
“ Earlier this year mobile phones were banned in schools in many states of Australia because students were deemed too irresponsible to use their own devices ,” Orlando said .
“ In the shift to remote learning this took a complete about-face . We relied on students ’ savvy technology skills and ability to manipulate their own devices with skills and independence to ensure that learning was not lost . Students came through with flying colours .
“ Reinstating the ban feels like stepping back in time . It runs the risk of devaluing how students embraced online learning and made it work . It runs the risk of students being unwilling to fully take part in future online learning . A middle ground needs to be found . Step 1 may be to draw on students ’ technology experiences to design really engaging online lessons .”
Dr Rachel Buchanan – “ The pandemic has made clear that digital technologies can be used to help students who struggle to attend school ” Buchanan ’ s expertise is on how changing technologies affect education , particularly focusing on their effects on equity . She says COVID-19 “ has revealed the teaching workforce ’ s agility in using digital technologies to meet the needs of students ”.
“ The COVID crisis has seen many teachers using digital technologies to communicate with students and their families in ways that were previously seen as being too difficult or time consuming ,” she says .
“ This agility around connection and teaching children using digital technologies to meet their learning needs should be maintained post-COVID .”
However , the University of Newcastle academic also notes “ the COVID crisis has revealed the complexity of using digital technologies for teaching and learning ”. Buchanan believes the experience has been “ uneven ” and “ not all teachers have embraced technological development to the same degree ”.
“ Beyond making the digital divide clear , the pandemic has also shown that there is a divide between children that have thrived with flexible learning offered by digital technologies and those that struggled with the lack of routine and face-to-face interaction .”
Nevertheless , Buchanan contends that “ the pandemic has made clear that digital technologies can be used to help students who struggle attending school . The flexible learning facilitated by digital technologies can be better utilised by teachers to offer personalised learning to students .” ■
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